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Paint Pick Me Up

Photography by Stacey Brandford

Posted on Oct 19, 2012

Paint Pick Me Up - Bedroom office and sitting area
Paint Pick Me Up - Bedroom before
Paint Pick Me Up - Entrance hall afterwards
Paint Pick Me Up - Entrance hall before

Episode 1

There's no better to way to add character and personality to your home than by painting your walls in a rich mix of colours. But how do you know where to stop and start, and what works best if your home has an open concept layout? Have no fear - it's easy to treat your walls to a layered mix of hues with winning results.

Fabric & Paint

Make your fabric story the star of your décor scheme by pulling out your favourite accent colour and applying it your walls to tie it all together. If you’re working with a bold palette and don’t want to overpower the room, you can install a chair rail and paint the lower section in an intense hue, while keeping the upper portion light. Here’s a hint… make sure you pick the fabrics first, as it’s always easier to match your paint to your fabric than vice versa!

Paint Pick Me Up - Bedside Upper and Lower, White and Blue
Paint Pick Me Up

Duo-Tone

As a general rule, the darker paint shade is usually applied to the lower portion of the wall to keep the weight at the bottom of the room and not make the ceilings feel lower. If you are using lighter tones, you can easily play around and see what effect you like best!

Paint Pick Me Up

The Palette

For best results mixing and matching colours, try to select shades that all have a similar tonal intensity so the end result creates a natural flow from one area to the next and the colours work together in perfectly balanced harmony.

Paint Pick Me Up - Hats and Shawls on Hooks

White Details

If you want your multi-hued paint palette to have maximum impact and be easily noticed, make sure you paint your baseboards, trim, chair rail and any crown molding white. The brightness of the whiter trim will highlight even the most subtle colour variations in your paint scheme and make it feel crisp and fresh!

Paint Pick Me Up - hall decorations side table, lighting and plants

Hallway & Landing

Have fun with subtle shade variations and change up your colours to help define distinct areas in your home. Even in an open hallway, you can transition from one colour to another wherever you have a corner. Make sure you use an angled sash brush to get the sharpest cut line possible!

Paint Pick Me Up - White trim on grey vertical boards, deep walnut floor

Contrast

Paint your paneling in your chosen trim white for a classic bright coastal look, or draw attention to it by selecting a sophisticated neutral shade, and then highlight the chair rail and baseboard with glossy trim paint for a study in contrast.

TIP: Don't shy away from matte finish paints in traffic zones. Thanks to modern technology, even completely flat sheen paint can be scrubbed clean, so you can have a soft velvety finish that is family friendly (a sponge and a mild cleaner can keep your new paint job looking perfect)!

Source Guide:

All materials available at Lowe's

Master Bedroom

door stop, 3/8" x 1-3/16" Primed, Evertrue, 268600 | chair rail, 1" x 2-7/8" MDF CHRL (L300), Evertrue, 85834 | door knobs, RP Hancock Passage Knob, Weiser, 315564 | doors, 6 Panel Pine Interior Doors 24" x 80", ReliaBilt, 10498 | rough sawn paneling, 3/4" Thick 4'x 8' Sheet Exterior Plywood Paneling with Groove, Georgia Pacific, 12957 | tongue & groove paneling, 4" x 8' Cottage V-Joint Pine Plank Paneling, C&C Wood Products Ltd., 261978 | hardwood floor, 5 1/4" Natural Walnut Engineered Hardwood, Mohawk, 325089 | closet doors, 6 Panel Pine Interior Doors 24" x 80", Jeld-Wen, 10498

Entrance/Hallway

floor tile, 18"x18" Walnut Travertine, Faber Stone & Tile, 148806 | hooks, Oil Rubbed Bronze Coat Hook, Liberty Hardware, 117968 | shelf brackets, 12"x12" Pine Bracket Fan w/ Spindle, Evertrue, 35840 | baseboard, 19/32" x 6-1/4" MDF Base, Evertrue, 165037 | casing, 1" x 3-1/4" MDF Case (PT3) - 8'-0" lengths, Evertrue, 85847 | door stop, 3/8" x 1-3/16" Primed, Evertrue, 268600 | chair rail, 1" x 2-7/8" MDF CHRL (L300), Evertrue, 85834 | tongue & groove paneling, 4" x 8' Cottage V-Joint Pine Plank Paneling, C&C Wood Products Ltd., 261978 | door knobs, RP Hancock Passage Knob, Weiser, 315564 | door handle, Black Monaco x Wickham Handset, Weiser, 45030 | closet door, 6 Panel Pine Interior Doors 36" x 80", ReliaBilt, 272749 | pot lights, 6 Pack 3 in. GU10 White Gimbal Kit, Utilitech, 271157 | bench & shelves, 1" x 24" x 72" Stain Kiln-Dried Elliotis Pine Panel, Greenwood Forest Products Ltd, 179388 | pendant light, 12" Bronze Pendant Light with Clear Shade, Allen + Roth, 198671